


Touching

by AnonEhouse



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-19
Updated: 2012-12-19
Packaged: 2017-11-21 12:33:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/597814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnonEhouse/pseuds/AnonEhouse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce doesn't appreciate being touched; he really doesn't. And then he meets Tony who makes him rethink the matter.</p><p>Five Times Bruce is Touched, and Once Bruce Reaches Out</p>
            </blockquote>





	Touching

(If you are reading this on any PAY site this is a STOLEN WORK, the author has NOT Given Permission for it to be here. If you're paying to read it, you're being cheated too because you can read it on Archiveofourown for FREE.)

1: Meeting

It's weird, that's all Bruce can think. It's not weird that Tony pokes and prods him and brings up issues Bruce doesn't want to talk about, because Tony does that with Captain America... huh, and it's weird that in his mind it's 'Tony', but 'Captain America'. But it's weird that Bruce doesn't mind. Tony pats him on the shoulder, sits on Bruce's workspace, leans over to drag the screendata Bruce is looking at out of his way so that Tony is right in his face. And he doesn't get irritated, doesn't have to hide annoyance and discomfort because there isn't any.

He's actually amused and ...flattered?... by the attention. That's... something he has to think about. He usually just endures being touched, because explaining why touches, particularly unexpected touches from men, sometimes make his skin crawl is counterproductive to his peace of mind. Just... no, he's not going to think about... _him_. Women make him feel awkward and nervous for other reasons. Honestly, he'd admired Betty from, not quite afar, but across the lab, for weeks before he asked her to have coffee with him. She was beautiful, and kind-hearted and understanding, and Bruce thought they probably would have had something... permanent, something real to hold onto. She was _safe_.

Then he wound up with a big, green, alter-ego, and all the coping mechanisms that had kept him functional in society were totally inadequate. Sure, he had limited himself to university scientist society where quirks were pretty much par for the course and no one expected back-slapping familiarity, still it was _society_ , and he had got up every day and interacted with them without much trouble.

Maybe it was because Tony is still really a stranger. He doesn't have a problem with strangers touching him impersonally, or he wouldn't have fled to Kolkata of all places, where you could hardly step into the street without brushing up against someone. It was only people he was going to see on a daily basis who really bugged him. The people closest to you are the ones who can really hurt you. Especially men. 

2: Fleeting

He hasn't come back to fight because Tony believed in him. No, and the pep talk that nice old man had given him, along with the motorcycle, hadn't anything to do with it, either. And no, he wasn't concerned about Tony- he'd just met him, you don't really care about someone you've just met, do you?, or felt he would be atoning for anything, or even was feeling patriotic or humanitarian, or angry at Loki for setting him up to Hulk out and get drop-kicked several thousand feet. It was just that for once, he really couldn't make matters worse. In a war, a semi-discriminate bomb is useful. So, what the hell, he comes back and invites the Other Guy out. He remembered Harlem and the Abomination, and it seemed the Hulk did, too, because he mainly concentrates on destroying the invaders, with one minor side-swipe to Thor. Thor had hurt him, and the Other Guy never forgot an injury or a threat. He hadn't liked Natasha, either. He never liked anyone who aimed a gun at him.

Bruce sits in the back of their mind as the Hulk rages and fights with an efficient grace and precision that would surprise anyone who thought him mindless. Bruce listens to the anger that boils like lava under the green skin. Sometimes he could get through with a suggestion, but mostly the Hulk hated him too much to listen. Which was probably only fair, Bruce had tried to kill the Hulk. Not that Bruce feels like being fair. He wants his life back; as screwed up as it had been, it had been comfortable, and safe- well, at least safe for everyone around him. He hates being feared, being something to be feared. And huh, Tony hadn't been afraid of him, and not in the 'he's safe if you're careful' way, but just plain, not afraid.

So maybe he let Tony touch him because there wasn't any fear on Tony's side. Fear is contagious and maybe lack of fear is too?

Of course, that doesn't explain why the Hulk catches Tony and is so upset when it looked like Tony was dead. Maybe the Other Guy was just hyped up on battle camaraderie, after all it was the first time he'd fought alongside people. Just an out of range datum on the Hulk's personal interaction graph. Sure.

3: Eating

Bruce likes shawarma, and he's hungry after the day he's had... the last thing he remembers eating... huh... dried blueberries that Tony had pushed at him as a sort of... reward?... it had felt rather nice, like the first day in school when the teacher had put a gold star on his paper because he'd written a story instead of just trying to copy the shapes of the alphabet.

He's out of fries. He reaches over without thinking about it and takes some from Tony's plate, his fingers brushing up against Tony's because he's so tired, he's clumsy. Tony doesn't even twitch. Tony's fries taste better than Bruce's had for some reason, and he eats all of them. No one says anything about his rudeness, and what's funny is that it doesn't feel rude. More like... Tony likes to share, maybe?

So when Tony offers them all crash space at his Tower, Bruce agrees without hesitation. The others all want to go back to the helicarrier for various reasons, Natasha and Clint to report in, Thor to check on his darling, homicidal brother, and Steve... Bruce doesn't have a clue, unless it's just that Steve isn't used to accepting gifts and it makes him uncomfortable to be beholding to Tony even for floor space. Bruce vaguely remembers having that sort of pride once, before he discovered that sometimes accepting a gift is a kindness to the giver. Also, being bare-ass naked is far more embarrassing than saying thank you when someone offers you a pair of trousers.

He's dozing in the elevator on the way up, and doesn't protest when Tony dumps him on a couch, then tosses a blanket over him and pats him on the shoulder. He's well-fed and feels safe, what more does he need? His shoulder feels warm where Tony touched it. His mother used to tuck him in at night. He's forgot how much that little gesture meant to him.

Mmm... maybe Tony reminds him of his mother... not _reminds_ , reminds, just makes him think of her. It's nice, and it's weird, because Tony Stark is the least motherly person he's ever met. So.. well, it doesn't matter why, it's just nice, and he hasn't had nice in a long time. He's going to appreciate the feeling while it lasts.

4: Retreating

Pepper Potts shows up sometime during the night. Bruce tries not to listen, but... a man and a woman arguing? That goes down deep and rings all his alarms loud. It wakes him up and makes him tense under the blanket; lost in the past for a moment before he remembers. Their voices drop and then Pepper is crying. He gets up as silently as he can; he has to get away. 

But he sees them. They're standing at the far end of the room, outlined by a diffused bluish white light. There's enough light for him to see them, but his end of the room is dark enough to hide him. Tony is barefoot, bare-chested, oh, the arc reactor, that explains the light, and wearing a pair of striped pajama bottoms. Pepper is in a businessy dress (he's not a fashion expert, he doesn't know what else to call it) with unstable-looking high heeled shoes that make her several inches taller than Tony. That strikes him as odd, for reasons he's not comfortable analyzing. They're embracing, and Tony is stroking her hair. He's talking, but it's so soft, Bruce can't make out the words.

He feels an odd ache in his chest, which he tries to identify. It's not jealousy, is it? All he knows of Pepper Potts is the little that was put in Tony's file by SHIELD for him to read. It said nice things about her and he remember being a little... wistful... that Tony Stark apparently not only had his genius accepted, but also had someone really special to love him despite his flaws. That's nice. And maybe he can see why Ms. Potts puts up with Tony. Under all the flash and dazzle, the real Tony is a nice guy.

It'd be nice to have someone he trusts to hold him and give him comfort. He doesn't want to embarrass them, so he lies back down on the couch quietly and pulls the blanket back in place.

He'd like to be hugged.

 

5: Cheating

Tony tells SHIELD that he's driving Bruce to the train station after they see Loki off to hopefully not return. Bruce tries to emulate Tony's leap over the door into the sports car, but he flops in like a fish and nearly whacks Tony in the head with his duffle bag. Tony laughs and ruffles Bruce's hair.

He won't say he's stunned, but he's rather subdued by Tony's reaction. So it's several minutes later that he notices they are passing the train station and turning back toward the Tower. He opens his mouth to protest, but Tony is laughing again, and nudging him with an elbow and making ridiculous expressions with raised eyebrows. Apparently Tony really meant it when he invited Bruce to visit Candyland and he wants to sneak him in.

It's... really childish. But... no one has ever wanted his company, just as a friend, badly enough to annoy any authorities. He'd never had a friend who'd risk anything for him. Well, Betty, yes, but Betty was in a category beyond friend. And Tony didn't know him. But still... he thought Tony would be the kind of friend who wouldn't come bail him out of jail; he'd be sitting next to Bruce, grinning and saying, "Damn, that was fun."

SHIELD will know that Bruce didn't leave. But he thinks they won't try to bother him so long as he's not causing trouble. After all, they left him alone while he was wandering the world. But Tony wants Bruce... _and_ the Other Guy. He can almost hear the rumble of agreement in the dark places where the Hulk dozes. It might be safe here, for a while. 

He shrugs and gives a provisional agreement. Tony takes his hand off the wheel for a fist-bump.

Bruce thinks Tony is more than a little crazy.

But maybe not in a bad way.

 

Plus 1: Completing

A year later, after they've all been through a lot of things none of them want to think about, Bruce is sitting on the couch between Pepper and Tony at the new house Tony had built for all of them. They're comfortable with each other, know each others quirks, although Tony is often bad about remembering some things. Still, they all care for each other and want each other to be happy. There had been a horrible time when they'd been apart and there'd been disasters, and by the time Bruce heard about it, there was nothing he could do. The Hulk had come out then, but instead of smashing things he'd curled up and cried, cried for both of them. Bruce had forgot how to cry a long time ago.

Tony and Pepper were no longer _together_ together, but neither were they _not_ together. And Bruce wasn't _with_ them, except that he was. Whenever anyone asks, they just say 'it's complicated'. And it is, but it works for them and it isn't anyone else's business whether they have wild kinky sex, or just live together as a family and hold hands in front of the television. Sometimes Betty comes by, or Rhodey, or one of the Avengers, and that's nice, having guests in their home.

It's nice having a home, a place where no matter what he does, he's welcomed, and wanted.

Bruce has this now, and he's holding onto it with both hands. He puts his arms around Tony's and Pepper's shoulders, interrupting a semi-argument about Tony attending a board meeting. Tony hates them, and since most of the members were there when Obi was really running the company, they pretty much hate him back.

"Hey," Bruce says softly, "As Co-Chief of the Research division, I could attend. I'm not busy that day."

Tony grins. "Will you wear a green suit?"

Bruce laughs. "No, but I'll wear that ridiculous green tie you gave me."

"Perfect. It matches his eyes." Tony sighs happily and leans back. "They're ever so much _quieter_ when you guys come with me."

Pepper shakes her head, but she doesn't disagree. 

Deep inside him, the Hulk rumbles a chuckle, and Bruce lets himself go a bit green so the Other Guy can hug his family, too.

**Author's Note:**

> I lost the 'bonus point' and deviated a fair bit by assuming Bruce's 'touch issues' were a product of his childhood, not the Hulk, but I hope it meets the spirit of the prompter's request. While Bruce/Tony was in the request, prompter said gen/friendship was also fine.
> 
> [ Prompt here.](http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/4305.html?thread=2565073#t2565073)  
> Bruce/Tony, Bruce has touch issues with everyone except Tony
> 
>  
> 
> _So, I think Bruce is not really comfortable when it comes to touch people and he always tries to keep some distance, especially in enclosed spaces, where he can't leave fast if something goes wrong and he lose control. The only one that invades his personal space and keeps touching him is Tony, but Bruce finds out that he doesn't really mind._


End file.
